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Avs regrouping after loss

Colorado opens up a 7-game homestand today against Jets

By Mike Chambers The Denver Post

Posted:
12/28/2013 11:24:43 PM MST

Updated:
12/28/2013 11:25:02 PM MST

DENVER -- The spirited Avalanche practice Saturday was overdue. Colorado hadn't practiced since Monday's morning skate at San Jose and didn't touch the ice for three days after that shootout loss to the Sharks.

Which helps explains why the Avs came off the NHL's mandatory Christmas break and laid an egg Friday at Chicago, losing to the defending Stanley Cup champion 7-2. The Blackhawks had a morning skate and sweated out the holiday cheer at the United Center as the Avs were traveling and guzzling coffee.

Mentally, center Matt Duchene said, it was the Avalanche's worst game of the season. Duchene and coach Patrick Roy voiced their displeasure about the schedule as they looked forward to a seven-game homestand that begins today against the Winnipeg Jets.

"I'm not going to use that as a reason why we lost," Roy said about the Avs not having a morning skate in Chicago. "(But) it's unacceptable that we have to lose an hour to go to Chicago. ... How can you give a good show? No matter what, we were in a bad spot. We've done it in the past, but why (didn't) Chicago come here?

"I don't know who's working for the league for the schedule, but they need to understand that (when) Denver goes to Chicago, you're losing an hour (and) if you want to play at night you have to be up at 4 or 5 in the morning to get to the airport ... to have a good morning skate. It's nonsense."

The Avs didn't attempt to have a morning skate in Chicago, instead taking an 8 a.m.

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flight out of Denver International Airport and busing directly to the hotel they used only for lunch and a nap. Colorado, which returned to Denver immediately after the game, is the NHL's only Central Division team not located in the Central time zone.

"Sounds about right with our travel schedule. We get the short end of the stick a lot, but I don't think it had any difference in the game," Duchene said. "Sometimes you're going to be behind the eight ball to start a game, whether you're injured, a guy is sick or a team's plane breaks down and you get in late. You just have to over-compensate and figure it out. You have to be more sharp mentally. (Friday) was our worst game mentally as a team, all season, against arguably the best offensive team in the league. We were already behind the eight ball with the travel and that equals a 7-2 loss at the end of the day."

Ten games in the NHL were played Friday. Besides the Avs-Blackhawks game, only one featured the visiting team losing an hour to play in another time zone. San Jose traveled to Phoenix and beat the Coyotes 4-3 in a shootout.

Moving on, which the Avs are eager to do, another division rival begins a two-game stretch with 6 p.m. start times at the Pepsi Center. After the Avs' game Monday against Winnipeg, they host Columbus on Tuesday. Philadelphia, San Jose, Calgary, Ottawa and the New York Islanders follow in Colorado's seven-game homestand that features a game at the Pepsi Center every other night.

"Huge homestand for us," Duchene said. "We have to dominate at home."

Said Roy: "It's key. One of the key moments in our season. We're in a good position in the standings. Now we need to be red hot at home."

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